Geothermal Energy

Man first discovered geothermal energy in North America, about ten thousand years ago in the ancient Paleo – Indian Settlements where there are natural geothermal springs. They utilized it and made it work as a pool of geothermal energy used for heat and purification, using the existing minerals in it as a therapeutic healing source. Nowadays, people still soak in hot springs that are naturally heated by the earth’s core.

Meanwhile, scientists are studying to create such technologies that would enable us to search and examine regions as deep as ten miles beneath the earth’s exterior, searching it for geothermal energy. In the United States Geothermal Energy alone, it produces 0.3 percent of power, but it has the possibility to rise as much as 10 percent by the year 2050.

Geothermal Energy is the heat that is collected from the lower regions of the earth. Basically, it is the thermal energy that is exists in the rocks of the earth and the liquid that’s inside the rocks and in the earth’s crust. Scientific research has proven that the earth started in a molten state, gradually cooled down and became solid and the elemental source of geothermal energy is radioactive decay occurring deep within the earth. There are some areas in the world where geothermal energy does reach the surface in a very scattered state but these aren’t enough to produce the sufficient amount of geothermal energy needed.

Ancient civilization, tens of thousands of years ago have used geothermal energy in North America. The paleo-american Indians used it for cooking, relaxation and relief. In the past, these hot springs are neutral areas where soldiers of warring nations can bathe collectively and peacefully. Almost every hot spring in the United States has its own history with Indians.

Basically, there are ways to use the geothermal energy:
- It could be use as a direct source for heating systems.
- It could be used to heat the steam that is needed to power generators.
- It can be used to regulate building temperatures

The geothermal energy application is not a new concept, as we discussed earlier that ancient people have already utilized it for different purposes. An in the future, we will be discovering more and more ways to utilize geothermal energy that would help us in our everyday needs. Maybe one day, we would come up with a solution to our pollution problems that are currently slowly killing our planet. Its applications I believe are not yet in its full potential. There are more things left undiscovered. Utilizing geothermal energy is the most sustainable method of collecting available energy. In my opinion, the government should invest more in the research of this field to discover the best possible methods of applications of the thermal energy and transform it into something that would help both the people and our planet as well.

• Geothermal Heating
• Geothermal Heat Pump
• Geothermal Disadvantages